Trans cooler thoughts

[Fake Name]

I want to install a aftermarket tranny cooler on my '70 F250. I HATE the conventional method of installing the cooler in front of the radiator. It just does not make any sense to me to reduce the cooling air flow across the radiator. Further, why would I want to pre-heat the cooling air with a hot trans cooler???

Plus, my truck ahs AC (as soon as I can find a condensor)- yet another flow blocker.

So, I'm looking for more sensible alternatives. I'm considering fabbing a bracket that runs between the two frame members immediately beneath and just behind the radiator- right under the lower hose. Can anyone tell me why that would not work?

Or- how about the space behind the grille, on the core support, between the radiator and the rh headlight? Maybe cut some additional holes in the core support to allow for air to pass through?

With either place I could then use a manual trans radiator, which might have bigger capacity than the auto version, right?

I appreciate your input, experiences and observations...

thanks.

fn

[edit] OR- how about underneath the truck, just below the seat, aft of the frame member, with a stand-off bracket of some sort that allows airflow? That would eliminate running the "cooler" lines right next to the headers, which the front mount requires. I wonder how much heat the headers gives the fluid running through metal lines an inch or so away? Probably a LOT.

[fordman]

i've seen trans coolers mounted on fender wells before. but i think putting in a manual radiator won't get you any more the a automatic. what you need is a three or four core radiator for better cooling of the water. so if you get a bigger rad why not get one with the cooler in the rad for the trans also.

[Fordfool]

When I get that far, I am going to look into one of these for cooling my tranny.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ALUMINUM ... 3152QQrdZ1

Would work for power steering as well.

[Randy Beck]

Folks have been putting tranny coolers in front of the radiators for years with little or no problems. Even the big truck companies that run trucks with auto trannys put the cooler in front of the rad. The only probem I see in installing it low and under the rad is that it is kinda unprotacted and anything that you drive across, lets say a recap from a semi truck might hit the cooler and damage it. If you are concerned fit air flow, why don't you install a high volume elec fan in the rad also.

[flyboy2610]

Putting the tranny cooler in front of the radiator and/or AC condensor is the preffered positon.
You will then get maximum airflow over the cooler, and it will be protected from most road debris.
The tranny fluid gets much hotter than your antifreeze, so it needs more airflow to disipate the heat.
Put it in front.

[xxxtina63]

If you want a trans cooler, definitley run in front of the radiator. Your local parts store as well as the aftermarket make a kind of zip ties that go through the radiator and the cooler to fix them in position. Just make sure you run the line through the cooler first and then the radiator system second. ATF works best at normal operating temp.

[rjewkes]

hmm i thought the auto trucks had the trans cooler built into the 3 and 4 core rads mine did.

[QC]

Put it in front of the radiator. You'll need the fan for air flow when you're not moving. Your transmission builds heat even idling in neutral. I have had them in front of the radiator on several trucks with no overheating problems.

[ToughOldFord]

The auto's do have the cooler built into the radiator, but they're inefficient at best especially if you do any hauling or towing.
Get a good aftermarket one, bigger is better, size matters. Put it in front of the radiator, the only way you'll get good air flow.

[flyboy2610]

Then run the tranny fluid through the radiator cooler first, then through the aftermarket unit and back to the tranny.
Unless you live in a colder climate and drive the truck in the winter. You will cool the tranny fluid too much doing it that way, and the tranny won't operate as efficiently as it should.
For folks in Cananda, Alaska, and the northern states, run the fluid through the aftermarket unit first, then through the radiator to warm the fluid back up before it goes through the tranny.
And always run your lines so that the unit is filling from the bottom, and emptying at the top. It will cool more efficiently that way.

[Fake Name]

Put it in front of the radiator. You'll need the fan for air flow when you're not moving.

Ah-HA!

Had not considered the fan's pull on cooling air. Excellent point.

But I'm still concerned about routing the cooler lines. For those of you with FE engines and headers, are your "cooling" lines run in close proximity and parallel to the exhaust and header?

fn

[ToughOldFord]

I don't have headers, but my lines run under the engines so they're not even close.

[Ford_Doctor]

Definately run the cooler in front of the radiator for maximum slow moving cooling. If it causes the engine to run hotter then the radiator is to small or plugged to begin with and should also be remedied. As stated before be sure to run the radiator cooler also.

[xxxtina63]

I've got headers w/FE. Routed my lines to run on top the frame rail. The "original" ones ran through the motor mount tower and eventually burned through due to the heat. Have had no problems since running new lines. Not that expensive, but it does require time and patience to fab new lines.

[xxxtina63]

By the way, the prior owner thought it was OK to run copper trans lines-a big reason they melted.